We Are Thankful for Life with Conditioned Air.
This time of year brings out the reflection and gratitude in all of us. We hope you have many things to be thankful for and, like us, remember to include modern air conditioning on your list.
In case you don’t remember a time before the comforts of conditioned air, we have put together a little history and some fun facts from Salvatore Basile’s new book, Cool: How Air Conditioning Changed Everything.
Five Cool Facts about Air Conditioning
1. You probably wouldn’t live in Florida at all if it weren’t for the advances in cooling technology. Texas and Nevada also saw increases in population due to modern air conditioning.
2. Summer movie blockbusters were born as many theatre owners sought to find ways to fill seats during the heat. Before air conditioning was an affordable option for the home, many people flocked to their local movie houses for relief and entertainment.
3. The first President of the United States to have air conditioning in the oval office was Herbert Hoover. The expenditure cost approximately $30,000 in 1929.
4. The first ice machine was patented in 1851, but American economic interests in the storage and transportation of ice from colder regions, kept it from becoming popular.
5. Willis Carrier, credited for inventing modern air conditioning, was so distracted while working that he once packed nothing but a handkerchief for a business trip.